François Husson

In this article, we present <b>FactoMineR</b> an R package dedicated to multivariate data analysis. The main features of this package is the possibility to take into account different types of variables (quantitative or categorical), different types of structure on the data (a partition on the variables, a hierarchy on the variables, a partition on the individuals) and finally supplementary information (supplementary individuals and variables). Moreover, the dimensions issued from the different exploratory data analyses can be automatically described by quantitative and/or categorical variables. Numerous graphics are also available with various options. Finally, a graphical user interface is implemented within the <b>Rcmdr</b> environment in order to propose an user friendly package.

In this article, we present FactoMineR an R package dedicated to multivariate data analysis. The main features of this package is the possibility to take into account different types of variables (quantitative or categorical), different types of structure on the data (a partition on the variables, a hierarchy on the variables, a partition on the individuals) and finally supplementary information (supplementary individuals and variables). Moreover, the dimensions issued from the different exploratory data analyses can be automatically described by quantitative and/or categorical variables. Numerous graphics are also available with various options. Finally, a graphical user interface is implemented within the Rcmdr environment in order to propose an user friendly package.

We present the R package missMDA which performs principal component methods on incomplete data sets, aiming to obtain scores, loadings and graphical representations despite missing values. Package methods include principal component analysis for continuous variables, multiple correspondence analysis for categorical variables, factorial analysis on mixed data for both continuous and categorical variables, and multiple factor analysis for multi-table data. Furthermore, missMDA can be used to perform single imputation to complete data involving continuous, categorical and mixed variables. A multiple imputation method is also available. In the principal component analysis framework, variability across different imputations is represented by confidence areas around the row and column positions on the graphical outputs. This allows assessment of the credibility of results obtained from incomplete data sets.

An introduction to exploratory techniques for multivariate data analysis, this book covers the key methodology, including principal components analysis, correspondence analysis, mixed models and multiple factor analysis. The authors take a practical approach, with examples leading the discussion of the methods and lots of graphics to emphasize visualization. They present the concepts in the most intuitive way possible, keeping mathematical content to a minimum or relegating it to the appendices. The book includes examples that use real data from a range of scientific disciplines and implemented using an R package developed by the authors--Provided by publisher.

As its title suggests, this is an R demonstration book in the vein of, for example, Faraway (2005) on linear models.By working through books such as these, if they are done well, one can quickly become interested and conversant, even fairly adept, in the particular field of statistics being studied and its modern applications.Since this is intended as an undergraduate text for non-statistician scientists, it is fairer to hold it to the former standard, by which it can be considered highly successful.